ASSESSING THE DEVELOPMENT IMPACT OF ZAMBIAN BREWERIES CASSAVA PROJECT; REFLECTIONS ON PROCESS, INDICATORS, AND EVIDENCE

Abstract

Since the global food crisis o f 2008, increased awareness o f global hunger has motivated a wave of efforts to reduce hunger in developing countries. Hunger in Zambia is a complex issue compounded by the effects ofpoverty and climate change. Hungerandpovertydisproportionatelyaffectruralfarmingcommunities. One increasingly popular model for reducing rural poverty and food insecurity is to promote smallholder participation in agricultural value chains, and to support agro­ processing. In 2016 Zambian Breweries launched a project to build a commercial cassava value chain in the Luapula Province in order to feed its brewing plant in Ndola, Zambia's third largest city. In 2018, the project involved more than 5,000 small-scale farmers that produced cassava under contract to the company. An underlying assumption of this model is that market integration will result in increased incomes and that increased incomes will result in reduced food insecurity. However, greater market integration may not result in increased incomes or food security for all. This project will investigate this model o f development to understand its likely impacts on the lives and livelihoods ofpoor farming communities in Luapula Province, Zambia.